Steven Nichols, Criminal Trespass, South Dakota 2013

Chicago Man Caught Red-Handed on Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation

Steven Nichols, a 42-year-old man from Chicago, Illinois, has pleaded guilty to two counts of Criminal Trespass for repeatedly entering the lands of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

Nichols was sentenced on February 27, 2013, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno to 30 days in custody and a $5 special assessment to the Victim Assistance Fund on Count 1. On Count 2, he was sentenced to one year of probation, and ordered to not re-enter the lands of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation.

The investigation began in 2011 when the Rosebud Sioux Tribe’s Attorney General petitioned the tribal court to bar Nichols, a non-Indian, from entering the reservation. On June 10, 2011, Nichols was served with notice of the proceedings, and on September 22, 2011, the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Court entered an Emergency Writ of Exclusion barring him from entering the lands of the Rosebud Reservation.

Despite the exclusionary order, Nichols re-entered the reservation on multiple occasions. He was apprehended by tribal law enforcement officers on September 9, 2012, and again on January 30, 2013, when he was found hiding in a crawl space of a residence within the reservation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher, and the investigation was conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Nichols was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal to complete his sentence.

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced the plea agreement, stating that Nichols’ repeated trespassing on the reservation had caused significant disruption to the community. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting tribal sovereignty and the laws of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation.

Defendant’s Background: Steven Nichols, age 42, of Chicago, Illinois.

Sentencing Details: 30 days in custody, $5 special assessment to the Victim Assistance Fund, and one year of probation.

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